Sometimes the hardest thing about change is getting others to recognize the need for it. In early June XPLANE held its public Visual Thinking School (VTS) on just that: Making Your Case for Change. The session’s 50 attendees divided into groups of five to “make their case” for a change that they wanted to see in Portland. Initiatives ranged from reinstating the public transport ride-free zone and exploring water taxis, to building community and reducing apathy. Through a series of collaborative exercises each group explored why the change mattered, the forces for and against the change, and finally, the benefits and downsides of the change for key stakeholders. Armed with their results each group prepared a two-minute pitch for all in attendance. What they discovered was that resisting the temptation to present complete solutions is trickier than you might imagine.
